


Want you to know who I am

by nainabanaina



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: F/F, I'll add more tags as this updates, Slow Burn, Underworld family being nice to each other, Zagreus is a big bro + ultimate wingman, a lot of characters from the game who you might expect on a playthrough will make an appearance yay, gay panicking, like very slow, shaming Theseus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 05:49:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28844118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nainabanaina/pseuds/nainabanaina
Summary: Time has passed in the Underworld and the House of Hades has another heir. Melinoe joins her brother on his security breaches out of the Underworld until the Fates have other things in mind.
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Hades Video Game), Iris/Melinoe (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Zagreus & Melinoe
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	1. Prologue part 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic ever so bear with me hhhh.  
> I know already that this will update very sporadically. It is good to mention that this work is primarily self-indulgent, which you might notice from the super rare pairing that will be the focus.  
> Comments and feedback are much appreciated!

“Haha, Fiend! It seems we meet again-… eeeeh” a puzzled look crossed the face of Theseus. “What is that?”

“*snort* It seems the short one has brought an even shorter comrade to battle, my king” the Minotaur clarified sympathetically.

“You’re correct in that, Asterius. I thought it was about time to show the family how I kick your ass Theseus” Zagreus proclaimed with pride. His sister, Melinoe, sighed a bit at that. Though she already understood her brother’s complaints about this king of Athens. He was unbearable.

“Aha! Well small one, prepare to take a seat as we will put your fiendish brother in his rightful place!” Theseus said while he slammed his shield.

“Oh nah, I’m here to participate.”

“P-Participate?” The puzzled look returned.

“Indeed!” The young goddess raised Varatha with a smug grin. “I was looking for some target practice today.”

***

Of course, it was naive to think she would best the Elysium champions on her first try. She had to admit, Theseus had great technique with his own spear. Melinoe made a mental note of keeping a close watch next time for anything to add to her own moves.

She dried herself off with a towel from the rack that stood next to the pool as she crossed the main hallway.

“Ah, back already?” sounded a chirpy voice on her left. Hypnos looked up from his list, eyebrows raised in rhetoric question.

“Yeah, but I had expected it beforehand in all honesty” she chuckled back at him. “Didn’t think I would beat Zagreus’ record there.”

“Awh hey, don’t worry about all that. Even he made it to the top eventually!”

“Sure, Hypnos” she waved him goodbye and he went back to marking off any incoming souls.

She continued walking until she got up to her father’s throne annex office. Her mother, who usually stood by Cerberus or next to her father, was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she was tending to the garden.

Her attention was pulled back to the throne when she heard a grumble. Lord Hades was looking down at her from his seat.

“It seems a fight of two against two has proven to be too much for you?”

While spoken in his booming voice, Melinoe had learned to not take the remarks her father made too seriously. She had seen how it had affected the relationship between him and her brother, and she knew somewhere that he meant all the best with it. Maybe it was because she had inherited her mother’s more peaceful nature that she understood him better than Zagreus.

“It does seem so, father” she answered him. “Though I’m confident that I can best them someday, with the help of Zagreus most likely.”

“Hmmm” Hades leaned a bit back in his throne. “As long as you feel confident in your efforts, you are welcome to keep trying, of course.” He gestured to her that their conversation was over. With a nod, Melinoe made her way out of the Great Hall.

As she walked past the lounge she could hear the cheerful clattering of the cook and bottles of nectar. Megaera stood at a table talking with Dusa, probably both on a break from their duties. Nyx was off to Chaos as she did regularly these days.

Stepping on the doorstep to the garden, she saw Persephone in the back busy with some crates.

The Underworld Queen looked up when she heard upcoming footsteps in the grass.

“Oh dear, you’ve already returned?” Persephone said as she stood up from what she was working on.

“I did. Elysium proved too difficult for me, even with the help of Zagreus”

“Ah, I see. Well it’s already quite an accomplishment to make it that far, even with your brother to support you” Persephone said with a smile to her daughter. “I suppose he’ll keep on going to best your father.” She said with a chuckle.

“What are you doing actually, mom? Melinoe said as she looked past the Queen.

Several crates of pomegranates were stacked on top of each other in this corner of the field.

“Oh this? I noticed that these had been lying around for quite some time now out in the garden and decided to keep myself busy by organizing them. Picking fruit makes me feel like I’m back at my cottage again on the surface.”

Melinoe noticed a hint of sadness in her mother’s voice. She knew she missed that place and Melinoe had yet to see the little house and the green fields that surrounded it according to her descriptions.

“I am mostly done with picking them, so could you maybe carry some of these to the cook? They might know to make something of it in the kitchens.”

“Of course, mother” Melinoe said with a smile. She liked helping her mother out wherever she could.

The crates weren’t heavy, but the cook rewarded her with a handful of gemstones for the effort anyway. She figured she’d buy something nice for herself from the House Contractor.

Sadly, the Contractor was expensive. Melinoe only had enough stones for a wall-scroll.

There was a limited assortment of scrolls, many of Olympian gods, others of mortal heroes that had left a mark on the world. She already had one of Artemis above her desk but was looking for something to fill the empty space near her bed.

Among the bigger scrolls, one caught her attention. It was a double of two Olympians in a running position with above them the text “ _Fastest delivery among the skies_ ”. One of them was her cousin Hermes, his trademark wings and staff clearly in view. The other was a goddess Melinoe could not recognize from sight or description by others. Her hair was blonder that her mother, nearly white, and seemed to refract light like the colorful gemstones Melinoe held in her hand. Like Hermes, she had wings on her feet in a similar fiery color. One of her hands held onto the leash of her messenger back, while the other cradled a pitcher.

Eh, it looked well enough. She handed the gemstones to the Contractor and took the scroll with her to her room. Maybe she would ask Zagreus later who this other messenger god was. Perhaps it was just an Olympian she hadn’t met when she had joined him on an escape before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first paragraph is inspired by a post on Tumblr by adrianasunderworld that made me chuckle.  
> While this work has its own canon/origins regarding Melinoe, if you want to read more of the character in the Hades setting, I'd very much recommend The House of Hades by Aurora313. That one motivated me to write something myself.
> 
> Again, comments and feedback are very welcome!


	2. Prologue part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More prologue stuff aaaaah  
> I have the next chapter set up in broad lines, this time with actual plot.  
> 

“I think… I got you caught right there.”

Melinoe frowned as she analyzed the battlefield. She had played risky but had to admit that Zagreus had bested her here. With a heavy sigh, she threw her pawn on the table. “Fine, I guess the next nectar is on me then.”

He grinned smugly at her. “What do you say I redeem that offer right now?”

She rolled her eyes at him but stood up to follow him to the lounge nonetheless.

***

Zagreus took another sip of the glass of golden liquid he had before him. “I have to say, in all the times I took up boons there hasn’t been someone who fits your description.” He leaned a bit on the table as he looked at his sister. “Is there any particular reason you need to know?”

“Oh no, I was just curious. I thought given that she’s on a scroll with Hermes she has to be someone important up there. And then it seemed reasonable to ask you given your experience with the Olympians” Melinoe shrugged as she picked up her glass. “I guess I just want to know whose likeness I put up in my room.”

“Fair enough,” Zagreus remarked with a gesture. “Maybe you can ask mother who it is. Or perhaps even Nyx, she got in contact with the Olympians in the first place and seems to know a lot about them.”

“Hmmm” Melinoe looked behind her at the corner night incarnate usually stood. The tall woman quietly watched the house from her solitary position, giving a small smile as she caught the princess watching. Melinoe raised her hand as a way of greeting her back. “I don’t know, it’s not _that_ big of a deal anyway.”

“Haha! Well, you have to do whatever you think is necessary Mel” Zagreus put the now empty glass down. “This was nice, we should do more of this sibling bonding stuff sometime. We don’t want to end up like father in that regard” his expression saddened a bit at that.

“Yeah… Hey, how about I join you again on one of your escapes soon? I think I got Theseus’ strategy figured out now, want to give that a try again.”

“Sure! You seemed to enjoy it last time” her brother said with a big smile. “Just wait out in the courtyard whenever you think of going out there. If the wait is a bit long, I swear Skelly is good company.”

***

“Perhaps we could try a bat again, child” Night incarnate spoke in her soft voice.

Melinoe took a breath as she envisioned the shape of the animal in her mind. With a lurch in her stomach, she felt her body turn into itself before noticing the sensation of wings flapping. She circled the garden before turning back to her regular shape before Nyx, feeling somewhat exhausted.

“Well done, child. It seems you have made great progress.”

Melinoe smiled at that. She had been practicing on her own at the forms she already knew how to shift into, among which a one-headed, smaller version of Cerberus that made the hound very confused in his manner, and a mockingly smaller version of her brother that greatly annoyed him. Nyx was her teacher in the sense that she was familiar with the changing of forms from her parent, Chaos, and that as the night she had knowledge of many more forms than just those that existed in the underworld itself.

It was a bit of guessing where Melinoe’s shape-shifting abilities stemmed from, but Hades had mentioned that Zeus made much use of the method himself, that it must have its origins in that line of the family. It hadn’t brought her many benefits until she had joined her escapes with Zagreus, finding that even temporarily mimicking foes could open a window of opportunity.

The adults had discussed if it perhaps was a sign of her domain as a goddess.

“I assure you, child, it will reveal itself in due time. My daughters have a path carved for you that does not allow for any short-cuts, unfortunately.”

“I understand, Nyx. It is just frustrating at times.”

“Hmmm. If it brings you any comfort, I do think it wise of you to join your brother on his journeys. It may point you in the direction of the answer you seek.” The tall goddess said as she drifted a bit closer. “I heard from him that you wanted to join him again soon. I gave him a mirror on his first efforts to leave this place, hoping it would aid him. While I can’t offer you the same, I hope you will accept this gift to aid you.”

She handed over a long piece of fabric in the same coloring as her robes. It was larger than the shawl Melinoe had seen among Zagreus’ keepsakes. She took it in her hands, feeling how the soft material seemed to flow under her fingertips.

“It is a woven piece of darkness. It will enhance your abilities as well as grant you some invisibility to those you wish to hide from, here or on the surface.” Nyx explained as Melinoe put the fabric over her shoulders and secured one end of it on her belt.

“Thank you so much, Nyx, It is more than I could ask for, truly!”

“You are most welcome, child. Now I do think I saw your brother rise from the pool before, perhaps you can meet him in the courtyard now if you make haste.”

“Oh! I will!” Melinoe hastily made sure if the shroud was secured again before pulling a sprint across the grass. “Thanks again, Nyx!”

The woman nodded a goodbye as the young godling sped away. A similar feeling of pride returned that she had experienced ages before when the Underworld prince had been even smaller. She hoped that this one would encounter fewer obstacles in her way as he had.

***

True to Nyx’s word, Zagreus was in the courtyard. When Melinoe entered he was standing at the infernal arms, examining which one to take with him next.

“Is it okay if I take Varatha again?” she spoke as she neared him.

“Ah, Mel!” He turned to smile at her. “Sure you can, I had my eyes on Malphon this time.”

“Please not the paws,” Melinoe said with a face of slight disgust.

Her brother smiled at her smugly. “You know what? I might as well do that now just to spite you.”

She sighed as she took up Varatha and tossed it between her hands, making it take the form of her aspect. It looked similar to that of Zagreus, with two tips, but had a reddish glow to it. She had also discovered it left foes stunned for a moment when she hit them with it.

“I thought with you turning into full dogs, me having paws should not be such a difficult topic for you” Zagreus continued as he put on the now fuzzy-looking twin fists.

“Yes, well, that is the whole point. It’s also why I’m not looking forward to those satyr cultists you mentioned before, besides their whole poison dart thing of course.”

“Hmm interesting argument, sister. And I completely agree with the satyrs, I’m glad we share a common hatred for them. Though if you are correct in besting Theseus this time I guess you have to mentally prepare for the sight of them and me with furry hands in a room together.”

“Ughh. You’re the worst.” Melinoe grumbled. Zagreus just laughed as they walked to the designated escape entrance, ready to take on another horde of foes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew that update came sooner than expected tbh.
> 
> Prologue part 2 because this part is too long to add together with chapter 1 of this. It felt weird to just continue from where it ended there. Maybe I will add them together someday if I decide to rewrite some parts.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zagreus and Melinoe make their way through the Underworld.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not very well at writing extended fight scenes so you have to use some imagination around it.
> 
> But anyway, The Plot Is Here!

They went through the various regions of the underworld rather quickly. For Tartarus, they faced Tisiphone.

_“Melinoe. Can you say Mel-i-noe, Tisiphone?”_

_“Zag, please stop.”_

Asphodel had, of course, #1 Hydra Lernie at its final gates.

_“Do you think he functions as one being or that all these heads are sentient?”_

_“I- I rather not think about that.”_

Elysium went by with the help of a flustered Thanatos and before long the duo had reached the arena of Elysium once more.

“Hhhhrrrrrnnnnnnnn…”

“Are you sure you don’t want to grab a quick snack before going in? Charon’s got a great deal this round” Zagreus said with a mouthful of the stuff.

“Oh no, don’t think it’ll be good for the nerves” Melinoe said from the small seat across the Boatman’s wares. A wave of cheers sounded from inside the arena.

“Hey don’t worry about it!” Zagreus tried to comfort her as he said down next to her. “There’s no shame in not making it past them this time. Father won’t tease you for it, I’m sure.”

“Thanks, Zag, but I don’t know if it’s that. I’m not doing it for father for the obvious reasons, but I still feel like I need to prove myself. Maybe it’s not as much him as our family in general.” She said as she looked at him. “I don’t have a domain to spend my time on and I don’t want to skulk around the house like one of the shades! Maybe it’s that something in me wants me to prove myself worthy to you and mother and father, and you told me yourself how rough Hypnos it had at one point with Nyx and Than.”

“Aw Mel…” He put an arm around her shoulders. “Know that just your existence is enough to mother and father, and I like that you are by my side in this, even if it’s not to the top for now.” He smiled at her. “I’d almost say that you are at that age where the mortals doubt themselves the most if I understood correctly from Achilles.”

She jabbed him in the ribs as a response but chuckled nonetheless. “Geez Zag don’t go all smarty pants on me.”

“Hah! If they didn’t know any better around here, they’d say I was the incarnation of wisdom itself!”

“Hmm sure, I’ll mention it to Athena next time we meet her.”

“Please don’t do that Mel.”

***

Melinoe was huffing when she had to dodge another one of Dionysus’ aides to Theseus. Asterius had perished to Zagreus’ claws a bit before (yuck), and this was a sign that they were getting somewhere in besting Theseus as well.

She had noted from her previous encounter with the former king that he was more focused on her brother than herself, which gave her some openings in his defense. As Zagreus dodged a spear by dashing behind a pillar, she saw her chance. She gripped Varatha a bit above the middle handle and tried to give herself some aim with her left hand outstretched. He had not spotted her yet, too occupied with getting an eye on her brother. From her peripheral vision, she saw him give her a thumbs-up as a gesture of understanding where she planned to go with this.

Melinoe was about to throw the spear when a circle of Dionysus influence threatened to throw her off balance. She took some quick steps forward to safety and in the process put as much leverage of it in her throw as she could. The spear, of course, had a habit of going in a straight line forward until it reached its limit of how far it could be away from her. As it shot to its target, Melinoe did not feel herself breathing.

Theseus looked behind him to see where his other opponent had positioned herself when the double-pointed spear struck him square in the chest.

“Nooo! You fiends! Fear not, for I will cherish the rage I feel currently for our next battle!” His last words were more softly as he faded in a light-blue mist.

Melinoe breathed out a long breath before summoning Varatha back to her. Zagreus stood huffing for air for a moment before raising his furry fists.

“YES!!”

As if he commanded them, the crowd of shades around them erupted in a cheering noise as well.

“Blood and darkness Mel, you did _that_!” He came over to pull her in a big hug, raising her a few feet off the ground. “I guess the fates must’ve heard your concerns from before because this can hardly be called a coincidence.”

“Hah, thanks Zag” she said once he put her back down. “Maybe so, though you were an excellent distraction I could use in my benefit.”

“Well, we are a team out here” her brother said with a wide grin. “So, you ready to take on the big man himself?”

Melinoe nodded with confidence.

***

Luckily, the satyrs proved to be not a big obstacle in their way. They were extra lucky when they found the ( _what in father’s name is this disgusting smelling_ ) Satyr Sack on their second gate. They were happy, and Cerberus was happy as he made off with the sack clenched in his middle maw.

“I can see why you thought you had to fight Cerberus here, but I doubt father would be that evil.”

“Well, he used to take my escape attempts very seriously. I did consider it a possibility before getting here for the first time.”

He pushed the tall doors of the Temple of Styx open and an almost blinding light greeted Melinoe. In the distance, she could hear Charon grunt as a farewell.

A white, almost powdery stuff crunched beneath her sandals. She noted that under Zagreus’ burning feet it simply melted away into ordinary water. It was probably the “snow” mother had once described to her.

They came to a clearing among ruins of pillars. Hades stood at the opposite end, his back turned to them and wearing a bright red mantle.

“He puts one on every time I get here, I don’t know why but there’s a closet full of them in his bedroom” Zagreus whispered to her.

“That’s a bit odd. Purely for a show?”

Zagreus shrugged at that.

“So, girl, you finally join your brother in our everlasting duel?” their father’s voice boomed over the snowy field.

“Eeeh, yes, father!” she gripped Varatha a bit tighter.

“Good, you show spirit. Know that I won’t take it easy on you here and now. Like your brother, you must earn a walk on the surface.”

“Don’t worry Mel, you got this. Just watch closely where he goes and take cover when he starts spinning Gigaros.” Zagreus whispered to her. “Mhm” she replied with a firm nod.

“Now then, children, let’s get this over with.” Hades threw the mantle away, where it sizzled into ashes, before summoning his spear. With a burning look at the both of them, he vanished into nothing, prompting the both of them to move as well.

***

The beams of fire roared past them as both Zagreus and Melinoe hid behind a pillar for safety. Zagreus shot a summon at Hades from behind their shelter, but for now, they had to wait for the destruction to die out.

“I think we almost got him, these attacks don’t get as heavy when he is in better health.”

Their father had recovered himself one time before, which according to Zagreus meant that they were halfway in defeating him. Some time had passed since then.

The fires died down beside them.

“You ready?”

Melinoe quickly shifted to a bat and flew to gain some altitude. Zagreus dashed to the side while Hades tracked his daughter through the sky. Mid-flight, she shifted back, throwing her spear at him. Hades dodged it in the last second during which Zagreus had caught up to him and started punching and clawing away at the Underworld King.

Melinoe broke her fall with a roll and summoned Varatha back to jump back in the attack, before seeing her father falling to his knees.

“Hrrn… you learned well from your brother Melinoe. I’ll see you two... back at the house…”

With a last grunt, he faded into the same mist as they had seen before.

Zagreus stood huffing for air once more, leaning on his knees but still smiling up at his sister.

“Look at that, got to Theseus and father in one go.”

Melinoe had to collect herself for a moment, leaning against one of the large pillars.

“So what comes next? Do we go back down or..?”

Zagreus gave his signature smile as he waved at her to follow him. “No, now you get to see what makes it all worth it.”

They passed through the gateway that was next to the water where their father had stood waiting for them. Snowflakes floated down as they made their way out of the Temple of Styx and into the realm of the living. The skies were a dark color, quite like Nyx’s robes and hair. Zagreus told her that what she was seeing was indeed the night itself. But as they moved onward it grew lighter, turning gradually redder, then orange. They stood upon a cliff when “the sun” came shining above the water.

It was beautiful.

Melinoe had to shield her eyes from the sharp rays. She wasn’t used to this kind of light from her life in the Underworld.

“Down there is the realm of Lord Uncle Poseidon” Zagreus said as he pointed at the water below them. “And if you would keep following the path to the right you would reach mother’s cottage. Urgh…”

Melinoe looked at her brother worried as he seemed to shiver.

“Don’t worry Mel, this happens all the time I get here now... Seems the realm can’t let me go… It will probably happen to you too soon, but don’t panic over it, okay?”

“Zag... I don’t feel anything.”

“Ah, well, maybe it will take a moment.” Zagreus got on his knees as he seemed to grow weaker by the second. “I will see you… at the house…” he could bring out before disappearing from her view.

Melinoe kept looking at the place where her brother had collapsed for a moment. As there was nothing else she could do, she sat down in the snow, looked at the sun on the water, and waited.

But nothing came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted Zagreus to be a supportive big-bro so had to put in some doubts in Mel aaah.  
> Love writing these two and their interactions, but there will not be much Zagreus for a while based on my outline. Sorry folks!
> 
> Fun fact: I had to keep myself from using "Christ" in a sentence because technically, Jesus doesn't exist in this canon. 
> 
> Comments are appreciated!


	4. UPDATE

Heyo!

I looked back at the chapters and found them a bit chaotic + the setup is making it a bit difficult to get the real plot going.  
Hence, I'm rewriting them into something more smooth that will still keep the main plot points they currently have, if a bit altered.   
I might make this into one big chapter so you don't have to sift through 3 chapters of prologue before the actual story kicks off.  
I'll keep the current ones up until I have the new version ready, then I will replace them.   
I guess it makes sense but that's why there will be a little hiatus on this for the time being.

See ya!  
Nina


End file.
